# Skincare Secret: Green Tea Bags



## lalalalila (Nov 28, 2009)

So my mom told me about this "secret" a long time ago, but I only started doing it recently...

Drink one or two cups of caffeinated green tea every day...but *save the tea bag*! Squeeze out the excess liquid and leave it so that it's just damp, not dripping. And then dab it all over your face (assuming you have no make-up on), focusing underneath your eyes and on top of your eyelids.

So you basically use the green tea bag in place of a toner or refresher spray.

And I kid you not...the results have been fantastic for me!

Green tea is high in antioxidants which nourish and refresh the skin...and the light dose of caffeine has a rejuvenating effect. Skin feels softer and smoother after you do this.

It makes sense...since green tea face masks and moisturizers are sold in stores.

I've been doing this daily for about two weeks now and have seen some serious improvement in my skin.

Give it a try! =)


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## magosienne (Nov 28, 2009)

I find tea bags gross, i prefer keeping a cup aside, and soak cotton pads in it





It's true it works though !


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## NaturalRadiance (Nov 30, 2009)

Why not just use a Green Tea face mask? It's just as cost effective and A LOT less work.


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## lalalalila (Nov 30, 2009)

Originally Posted by *NaturalRadiance* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why not just use a Green Tea face mask? It's just as cost effective and A LOT less work.





A face mask is actually more work. 
It's much easier to just dab a tea bag on your face and then throw it away (with no mess whatsoever), as opposed to applying a mask, letting it sit for a while and then rinsing it off.

It's also killing two birds with one stone: drinking tea to keep your body healthy, plus keeping your face healthy at the exact same time. =)


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## esha (Dec 1, 2009)

I've heard that too but never tried it. Maybe I should.

what kind of improvements have you seen on your skin?


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## NaturalRadiance (Dec 1, 2009)

Originally Posted by *lalalalila* /img/forum/go_quote.gif A face mask is actually more work. 
It's much easier to just dab a tea bag on your face and then throw it away (with no mess whatsoever), as opposed to applying a mask, letting it sit for a while and then rinsing it off.

It's also killing two birds with one stone: drinking tea to keep your body healthy, plus keeping your face healthy at the exact same time. =)

I suppose that makes sense too, but I feel that there are other benefits to using a face mask. I use the rinse-free type of face masks (meaning you don't have to rinse your face after using this kind of mask) so there's really no mess involved. In your super busy day, putting on a rinse-free face mask actually forces your body to slow down and makes you focus on your breathing. So, letting the face mask "sit" is a guarantee way to allow yourself relaxation time.


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## ShesAutomatic (Dec 1, 2009)

ohh cool, I love green tea and I love simple tricks like this. thankyouuu.


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## purpleRain (Dec 1, 2009)

Very cool, I will try this, I love green tea.

You mean you put on the green tea what's in the bag and put in on your face (and wash it off later?) or just the drink itself?


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## magosienne (Dec 1, 2009)

Just put the teabags on your eyes





You can also put the brewed tea in a spray bottle and spray it, but don't make too much, i did and although i stored it in the fridge, at some point, it just had to be thrown out.


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## girl2006 (Dec 3, 2009)

Will this help with acne?? and can it be any kind of green tea like flavored?


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## lalalalila (Dec 3, 2009)

Originally Posted by *esha* /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've heard that too but never tried it. Maybe I should. 
what kind of improvements have you seen on your skin?

-- I have eczema and certain parts of my face are prone to excessive dryness/flaking (the sides of my nose and between my eyebrows), especially when the weather is cold. Since I started using green tea, I noticed that my eczema has calmed quite a bit. My skin isn't flaking anymore. 
-- The skin underneath my eyes and the eyelids themselves feel and look a lot more supple.

-- The mild acne on my forehead (my problem area! grrrr!) is less red and inflamed.

Originally Posted by *purpleRain* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very cool, I will try this, I love green tea.You mean you put on the green tea what's in the bag and put in on your face (and wash it off later?) or just the drink itself?

After steeping the tea bag, squeeze out the excess liquid and just dab the bag itself all over your face. Let your face air dry and do not rinse.

Originally Posted by *girl2006* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will this help with acne?? and can it be any kind of green tea like flavored? I've had a few small, annoying pimples on my forehead and I noticed that this helped with relieving some of the redness. I don't know for sure that this will heal acne, but I do believe that it helps. 
And the specific tea bags that I use are Tazo Zen (the kind they sell at Starbucks). It contains lemongrass and spearmint...and the spearmint is what makes my face feel all "minty" and refreshed. =) I think that any plain green tea would work, as long as its caffeinated.


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## magosienne (Dec 3, 2009)

Ah, Zen ! My favorite ! Lovely tea, it contains verbena too, love it. Never thought of using it as a toner though !


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## lalalalila (Dec 4, 2009)

Originally Posted by *magosienne* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, Zen ! My favorite ! Lovely tea, it contains verbena too, love it. Never thought of using it as a toner though !



Tehe. I love Zen!


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## girl2006 (Jan 7, 2010)

Hey so ive been using the green tea bags at night for a week or so and i love it!!!! I have oily skin and I do not get oily anymore if I use it as a "toner". im oily free for the whole day!!! thank you for this tip it really works


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## Chaeli (Jan 7, 2010)

I love green tea. I will certainly have to try this one. Thank you for the very helpful tip.


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## Etiquette (Jan 7, 2010)

I started using green tea as a toner about a week ago, and I've already noticed a dramatic improvement in my skin. The pimples I had seem to have vanished completely, and my skin is positively glowing. I actually went out shopping yesterday without applying any makeup at all because my skin looked so nice. Honestly! I just curled my lashes and applied a lip balm and that was all.

I don't use the teabag though. I love to drink green tea anyway, so when I make myself a cup of it, I'll pour about a third of it into a container and put it in the fridge. Then once I've cleaned my face I'll dab some on with a cotton ball and use it as a toner. Make sure to replace your batch every other day to retain the beneficial qualities of the tea.


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## Lucy (Jan 7, 2010)

wow, looks like i'll have to buy some green tea!


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## Karren (Jan 7, 2010)

Yeah..... Me too!!! My skin is terrible...


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## magosienne (Jan 7, 2010)

Get it plain, and preferably leaves, so much better than Lipton (lol, tea addict talking here). You can get it for cheap at japanese grocery stores (i think the japaenese drink like 1/2 of the production).

I'll let out one of my secrets (which i don't do often enough !



) : i like to use matcha tea in my masks, i'll mix it with my clay. It's the powdered green tea used for the tea ceremony, it's my secret for "martian" cakes, but sometimes i don't use it all in cooking, so i recycle it for skincare !

It's less expensive in jap. grocery stores.


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## Hydeo (Feb 4, 2010)

This works for me too, thanks





White tea is even healthier to drink but as far as I know it has less caffenine so the results might be worse as a mask.


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## Kraezinsane (Feb 4, 2010)

Wow! Thanks for this! I will definantly do this






hmm.. I tend to have honey with my tea.. will that be ok? Considering how good honey is for you..


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## magosienne (Feb 4, 2010)

Lol, honey also has good properties for skincare


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## HairEgo (Feb 4, 2010)

This thread makes me want to have a good ol' cup of tea!


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## aprilpgb22 (Feb 11, 2010)

lalalalila thanks for the tips, we seem to have similarities in our skin. I have dry and flaking skin around my and between my eyebrows as well. I will do this tonight!


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## chruix (Feb 12, 2010)

Yes it is! I love green tea. Thanks for sharing the idea.


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## jhonny173 (Feb 12, 2010)

so this does really work? i got oily skin too so better try it out.


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## Minka (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah, this really does work.

I use green tea in the recipe for my toner and my mask and it really improves the texture and radiance of your skin.

After I make a cup of green tea, I squeeze out the tea bags, place them in the fridge until cool, and then place them on my eyes for about 10 minutes to reduce puffiness.

Works like a charm.


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## ceeport (Feb 14, 2010)

This looks pretty easy and natural way that anyone can try. It cost nothing and effect no ill effect on your screen, I think. I'll try it for a while and post again if it does works for me.


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## Jolanka (Feb 28, 2010)

Will try this for sure!!!


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## mebs786 (Mar 1, 2010)

I cant wait to try this...


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## dollylama (Mar 1, 2010)

i knew this, but had forgotten long ago!

Thanks for the reminder!


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## vtmom (Mar 2, 2010)

I brewed a cup last night after reading through this thread, and even though this may be coincidental, my face actually does look better today! BTW, how long does the tea keep in the fridge?


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## Scarlette (Mar 10, 2010)

Are there other teas to try? I have a million bags of Oolong. I am going to try the green tea thing because there are free tea bags at work. hahaah! I'm evil.


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## honeymomo (Mar 23, 2010)

Wow, this is nice to know. I drink green tea (by tea bag) everyday! Now I can save the tea bags and make use of them!


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## akira53 (Mar 23, 2010)

Well I drink green tea all the time but I never thought to use it as a toner. I'll have to try this some time.


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## lily88 (Mar 23, 2010)

lalalalila how do u know if the tea bag is caffienated? does it say on the box, or are all tea bags caffeinated in general?


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## magosienne (Mar 23, 2010)

Tea contains hundreds of active ingredients, among which you find theine, antioxidants, tannins, vitamins and microelements. Therefore, yes you will find theine (which is the same as caffeine) in tea.

However, the amount of theine in the tea depends on which kind you're talking about. Green tea like Sencha, or white tea (Yin Zhen, Pai Mu Tan) contains a small amount of theine. Black teas usually have a higher content.

Also, it depends on its quality, i don't want to spit on them but there really is a difference between supermarket teabags and loose leaves teas from tea stores (which can also be sold in individual muslin bags). The supermarket varieties are almost powdered teas with lots of tannins, responsible for the bitter taste. On a side note, muslin is the best stuff for a good brew.

So try getting some loose leaf green tea (white is more expensive), you can also try rooibos which doesn't contain any theine, or detheined tea.

Technically theine only develops in the first minutes of brewing, tannins develop as long as you keep the teabag in the cup, and they attack theine. So if you let your tea brew for a long time, you should get a tea without much theine. The risk is the tannins' bitter taste.

I read you can also run your tea bag under tap water before brewing it, but that i haven't tested.

Anyway, if you use the tea just on your face, just brew it as usual. If you want to drink a part of it, well that's up to you, i personally would still brew it the same way. But i thought caffeine had positive effects on your skin (blood circulation ?), so i don't really bother with whether or not my tea contains theine


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## beautiluck (Mar 27, 2010)

Looking Strange But Exciting Also Will Must Try To Do This!


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## Gella (Oct 15, 2012)

I am dying to try this. I just received a sample of a facial serum containing 90% green tea and thought, why not use the real thing? So, I did a little search and found this site only to discover that it's being done. Glad to find it and to read that its working out.  Hope it works for me too..


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## clairejhon (Oct 16, 2012)

My mom always used to tell me about green tea but honestly i never believed her... how to tell her that now i want to try this


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## darthfia (Oct 22, 2012)

> Originally Posted by *lalalalila* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> So my mom told me about this "secret" a long time ago, but I only started doing it recently...
> 
> Drink one or two cups of caffeinated green tea every day...but *save the tea bag*! Squeeze out the excess liquid and leave it so that it's just damp, not dripping. And then dab it all over your face (assuming you have no make-up on), focusing underneath your eyes and on top of your eyelids.
> ...


 Im gonna try this. Thx!

Do you wash your face after or just "wear" it the hole day?  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## JaclynO (Oct 22, 2012)

This is such a great tip! I can't wait to give it a try.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## Suyana07 (Oct 25, 2012)

thanks lalalalila as I take green tea three times a day and usually I throw the bag, but yeah your idea deserved a try atleast, will do so . Thanks  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## ELzzirk Enna (Feb 19, 2013)

thanks for this tip^^


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## flower678 (Feb 20, 2013)

Quotes: *lalalalila* /img/forum/go_quote.gif

A face mask is actually more work. [SIZE=inherit]It's much easier to just dab a tea bag on your face and then throw it away (with no mess whatsoever), as opposed to applying a mask, letting it sit for a while and then rinsing it off. [/SIZE][SIZE=inherit]It's also killing two birds with one stone: drinking tea to keep your body healthy, plus keeping your face healthy at the exact same time. =)[/SIZE]

 *NaturalRadiance* 



I suppose that makes sense too, but I feel that there are other benefits to using a face mask. I use the rinse-free type of face masks (meaning you don't have to rinse your face after using this kind of mask) so there's really no mess involved. In your super busy day, putting on a rinse-free face mask actually forces your body to slow down and makes you focus on your breathing. So, letting the face mask "sit" is a guarantee way to allow yourself relaxation time.
 
Face masks have other ingredients that could be harmful or possibly ruin certain antioxidants in the tea. A lot of companies lie and actually have only a hint of green tea in their products. Look on the ingredients list and if green tea is close the the top they put a good amount of tea, otherwise you're wasting your money. Plus, consider the price between the two. Using just green tea bags sounds more efficient.


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## flower678 (Feb 20, 2013)

> *magosienne* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Tea contains hundreds of active ingredients, among which you find theine, antioxidants, tannins, vitamins and microelements. Therefore, yes you will find theine (which is the same as caffeine) in tea.
> 
> However, the amount of theine in the tea depends on which kind you're talking about. Green tea like Sencha, or white tea (Yin Zhen, Pai Mu Tan) contains a small amount of theine. Black teas usually have a higher content.
> ...


 Yes, you're right. I believe loose tea is better too, but only better for drinking. I believe the tea bags are more convenient for dabbing our face with. You also need a strainer for loose tea. If you do not have a strainer, then how will you separate the tea leaves from the tea? Also, since the leaves aren't in a tea bag, it will be quite messy to apply this. If you let your tea brew for a long time there won't be as much theine, but it'll also taste bitter (I didn't know that was tannin, I learning so much about tea from you). I would say this is more of a routine to do in the morning, since it has theine and it'll likely wake us up.


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## barbaramory (Mar 6, 2013)

Hello, 

  I have also heard about green tea bags that it reduce puffiness and dark circles under eyes. It increases skin tone. But i never try it. Thanks for sharing such helpful information. I will defiantly apply it.


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